Better Health for All

Denny's core menu includes items with significant negative health consequences, such as the Meat Lover's Scramble containing 5,690 mg of sodium, far exceeding daily recommendations of 2,300 mg/day for healthy adults.

While the company completed a switch to trans fat-free frying oil in all 1,545 restaurants by 2007 and is a member of the Kids LiveWell program to offer healthier children's options, a lawsuit was filed in 2009 by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) for failing to disclose sodium content. The company's operations are not directly relevant to health crisis response, and no specific actions or contributions during public health emergencies are detailed. There is no evidence regarding the affordability of products, reach to vulnerable populations, or investment in health innovation.

Fair Money & Economic Opportunity

Denny's Corporation is a restaurant franchisor and operator, not a financial institution.

The 'Fair Money & Economic Opportunity' value and its associated KPIs are specifically designed to assess companies that lend, insure, move, or store money, evaluating their impact on financial inclusion and access to fair financial services. As Denny's core business lies outside of financial services, all KPIs related to consumer lending, deposit services, financial product pricing, fees, loan books, data accessibility for financial accounts, debt burden, and product simplicity are not applicable.

Fair Pay & Worker Respect

Denny's CEO-to-median employee compensation ratio was 197:1.

Employee reviews, based on 11,053 responses, show an overall rating of 3.4 out of 5 stars, with specific ratings of 3.3 for work-life balance, 2.7 for pay and benefits, 2.9 for job security and advancement, 3.1 for management, and 3.2 for culture. The company has a record of 19 substantiated labor law violations since 2000, totaling over $4.2 million in penalties. These include 18 employment-related offenses, with 14 wage and hour violations and 3 employment discrimination findings, and 1 labor relations violation.

Honest & Fair Business

Denny's Corporation has no ethics-related regulatory fines reported for the past three years (2023-2025).

A $45,000 lawsuit settlement occurred in 2022, and wage and hour violation penalties totaling $16,666 were recorded for 2020-2022. The company has a formal whistleblower policy, encouraging reporting of violations, prohibiting retaliation, and offering an anonymous ethics and compliance hotline. However, there is no evidence of independent investigation processes or public metrics on program effectiveness. Denny's also has an anti-bribery and corruption policy, including FCPA compliance, but training frequency and effectiveness metrics are not specified. The extent of independent verification of ethical claims is limited, with internal audits mentioned but no external third-party verification of ethical claims or compliance.

Kind to Animals

Denny's sourced 100% cage-free eggs in 2023.

However, the company continues to use pork from suppliers that utilize gestation crates, with only 32% of its pork supply coming from suppliers that limit or use group housing for pregnant sows in 2023. Denny's had a 2012 pledge to eliminate gestation crates from its pork supply chain but has not made meaningful progress, with a target of only 50% of pork from suppliers limiting gestation crates by 2028. The company updated its Animal Welfare statement to disallow medically important antibiotics in its chicken supply chain, effective March 1. Denny's established an Animal Welfare Advisory Council in 2024 to provide guidance on animal welfare. The company is testing a vegan pancake and tofu scramble in 2024 for potential 2025 menu inclusion.

No War, No Weapons

The provided articles consist solely of Denny's menu and promotional content.

They do not contain any information or data relevant to the company's involvement with arms manufacturing, military contracts, conflict facilitation, or any other aspect of the 'No War, No Weapons' ethical value. Therefore, no assessment can be made against the specified KPIs.

Planet-Friendly Business

Denny's Corporation uses 0% renewable energy in its company-operated restaurants and support centers.

The company's in-house brewed coffee and tea are Rainforest Alliance certified, but no broader biodiversity programs are reported.

Respect for Cultures & Communities

Denny's has no reported cultural appropriation incidents.

The company has spent over $2 billion with diverse and disadvantaged suppliers since 1993, with diverse supplier spending exceeding 10% annually for the past decade, reaching 14.1% in 2019. However, there is no specific tracking of indigenous or minority-owned suppliers as a distinct count. While Denny's CEO has mandated unconscious bias training for employees, there is no specific data on the percentage of employees completing cultural sensitivity training.

Safe & Smart Tech

Denny's Privacy Policy, last updated January 29, 2024, states that users can opt-out of marketing-related emails and text programs.

Registered users can review and change certain personal information by accessing their account online. The policy also specifies that residents of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Virginia, and Utah have rights including the right to know, access, delete, correct, and opt-out of the sale or sharing of their personal information. However, Denny's explicitly states that it does not collect or respond to Do Not Track signals. The privacy policy is governed by and addresses compliance with the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), Colorado Privacy Act (CPA), Connecticut’s Act Concerning Personal Data Privacy and Online Monitoring (CTPA), Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA), and Utah Consumer Privacy Act (UCPA).

Zero Waste & Sustainable Products

Denny's diverts approximately 27.84% of non-hazardous waste to recycling at its restaurant locations.

The company has implemented several waste reduction initiatives, including replacing Styrofoam food packaging and cups with polypropylene, plastic, and paper alternatives. At its corporate office, approximately 310 lbs of organic material are recovered monthly. Denny's restaurant locations do not generate hazardous waste streams. The company has set a target to decrease food waste by 25% by 2030.